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Robbie and Watches
Reviews and photos from beautiful timepieces
Welcome to Robbie & Watches. when I started this project my idea was to learn about watches in general but I ended up falling for photography and horology, not a bad combination. Please ask me any questions about any watch (not only the ones featured here) I will try do my best to help. I hope you enjoy this site as much as I do.
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About
Why watches?
What fascinates you? For me, it’s watches and photography (mostly watches), that feeling of taking an incredible picture of a truly unique object brings me great satisfaction.
I have seen many watch blogs and I am sure that almost all of them have a different view on the watch industry, here is my position:
I love all kinds of watches, people seem fixated with Pateks, AP, Vacherons . One day I hope to have the privilege to review incredible brands like these but it wouldn't make me love watches more than I do now, this blog is not to show off how much I spend on watches or what is a good/bad watch, this site is about what an average Joe thinks about a mid range/high end pieces and hopefully take a beautiful photo of it. I hope you can relate and enjoy this little project.
Roberto
P.S: all pictures are my own
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"Time is what we want most but what we use worst"
William Penn
Latest Reviews
Why are we so obsessed with pandas? The Maven MUS Solar Chronograph
There is something undeniable in the watch world, when it comes to chronographs, the ones with a racing layout, makes us feel alive, that is for us watch nerds of course. When wrist watches started to get marketed, diving was key, flying was a target and then, motor racing made it to the list, it was the pinnacle. Its main reason to exists was not to read the time but to register different events with the push of a button. Then we go to the mechanics, you would think that chr
23 hours ago
A MOD to a classic watch – The Namoki Khaki Field NMK09
When we talk about the most affordable, recognizable and good looking field watch on the market, I can assure you that the in the top 3 mentions, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical will be there, it is one of the best bangs per buck nowadays. There are many features of this noble no-nonsense watch that offers a Swiss movement, no date and a price that can scare rivals easily. We still do not know how Hamilton managed to offer this level of heritage and finishing to many of u
5 days ago
Barrel shaped and unique – the Galvin Watch Company YÖ - Limited Edition
There are watches that you see in pictures and you like them straight away but, you wrist size might not be the right one for it. I had my fair share of barrel shaped watches and all of them were a tad too big, a little bit narrow or even too wide. The ‘’ tonneau’’ shape is hard to get right but the brands do, well, you have a winner. Another part to consider on these shapes is that they are very art deco like which translates into a more dressy object but since the dawn of R
Mar 4
A field watch that redefines the wearing experience – the Milifortic M052
We could easily say that military watches started as field watches. Foot expedition is key for a tactical operations and as soon as modern missions started to deploy, the humble no nonsense field watch has been unnegotiable. I have seen my fair share of field watches which are often labelled as boring or basic but in reality, to me, they are the pure essence of a watch. The main reason is because we do not need moonphases, chronographs, diving bezel and different time zones,
Feb 26
When the proportions are right – Wancher Tenji Chronograph
Proportions matter, specially when it comes with complicated watches, and in this hobby, nothing can be as complicated as a chronograph. You see, chronographs are part of the 6 master complications in watchmaking with a good reason, the amount of movable parts on the watch that need to perform correctly are staggering. Inside chronograph, there are 2 or even 3 categories that make our subject matter even more complex. The ratrappante or split chronograph can time 2 events wit
Feb 24
Recreating the golden era of watches – The Aquatique GMT from Hult Watch Co.
Diver watches are utilitarian, and that is why we love them but a traveler GMT is something different. We have seen plenty brands adding an extra hand and a different bezel to make a travelers watch but there is much more to do to make this work. I came across Hult Watch Company a while back and I saw what they did with their first release the Aquatique, as soon as I looked over the design I really thought that I had the potential to become that GMT we all dream about, let me
Feb 13
Samurai, swords and watches – WishDoit Armor-Limited Edition
When we talk about watches, modern mechanical ones, art is something that always comes up as a topic. Because they are no longer a necessity in a digital driven world, the slow and antiquated wrist watch has become a luxury, an object with the purpose to produce emotion. In that sense there are a lot of watches out there that feel like a copy of another one, and sure the style and functionality usually dictates how they should look, but sometimes, we can also find something d
Feb 9
Complicated, luxurious and affordable – The Axon Origo
There are several things that go hand in hand and in watches, the more complications or features are found on a piece, the more expensive it becomes. With the explosion of microbrands, the bar in terms of quality has become higher and adding more competition on this space. More established brands have become aware on what newcomers are offering and also, they have exited the entry level price bracket all together. One of the price brackets that remains untouched is the one fr
Feb 3
Taking time everywhere – The Volan Type 1
When I was a kid (still I am), I was obsessed with keyrings, it was my earliest memory of collecting. It was easy and because they were inexpensive plus every marketing material came as a form of a keyring so, I had plenty. For a 10 year old, keys where the earliest signs that you are becoming an adult. Mainly because finally your parents decided to trust you with the only way to open their most expensive possession, in other words, it means that you made it. This beautiful
Jan 29
Stealthy with a great dose of quality – The Sortie BH1000
There are a few watches that stick with you and the latest creation from Sortie, the BH1000, is one of them. It is hard to explain how a good design can impact the way you react to an object and I can say that this particular piece did something to my perception. For example, I am not a person who wears big watches, sure I do review them, but these days my sweet spot is 36mm or 34mm. And then when it comes case materials, I love steel and more particularly when is done with
Jan 21
Barrel shapes and carbon bodies – WishDoit Captain Kidd Forged Carbon
Technology has come a long way. The manufacturing methods nowadays, compared with 20 years ago are incredible. If your were thinking of having a forged carbon body watch for under 500 GBP, people will put you straight into an asylum. One of the main reasons of the leap is because everyone uses 3 rd parties to produce innovation and then, the knowledge stays somewhere else, given the opportunity to create something special at a cheaper price. This is not a new formula, think
Jan 8
Minimalism at its best – Maven MUS Plus/MUS+
I have never been a big fan of Swatch watches. Sure, I enjoy everything that the biggest conglomerate in Switzerland has to offer under its umbrella, and while most of their watches are beautiful, if I am honest the brand itself, feels a bit bland. There is no denying that they have been successful, even when they are trying to onboard the entry level watch category with their most recent Omega and Blancpain collaboration, it did not connect with me. Why I am given such a har
Jan 7
A luxury companion for the sea – the Skindiver CMM.20 from Yema
Luxury is having more than you need, and in the world of watches, the whole genre can be based on this thought. There are levels of course, no only having more but also how is delivered, what is brought to the table in terms of value but above all, refinement which key. If you followed Yema just like every other watch enthusiast, you understand that heritage is a great asset for any brand. Founded in the 50’s, the French maison has been obsessed with delivering robust and rel
Jan 6
A birthday cake for something special – EONIQ Malbec Series
In a world of mass product objects, a unique proposition is something that we cannot argue with. We have been accustomed to decent quality because prices have been going down, but that quality aspect it is still an issue. You’ll see, we overlook how watches are priced when it comes to their cost, we always think on statements such as: ‘’the watch is great specially at this price point…’’ and in my quest to combat this, I found the guys at EONIQ, a Hong Kong based custom brand
Jan 2
Back to the basics – The Baltany 1963 Discoverer
Vintage is always a tricky because with time, everything becomes more deteriorated and rarer. The first part is what really concerns me mainly thinking that a watch must be worn and enjoyed, sure, rarity gives me a sense of uniqueness but being afraid as something is the sole example of a range, is a scary proposition. Here is where homage watches make sense, modern capabilities from brands are quite superior to those in the past and also, the parts itself are not that so use
Dec 28, 2025
Simplicity at its best – The NMK15 and the GS range from Namoki Mods
Simplicity is quite hard to achieve, especially when it comes to watches. The main reason being, is that the 2 avenues to choose from are quite different. As a brand, you can opt to go very minimalistic to the point that the watch becomes austere. Then, there is the next approach which is to pack as much features as possible in one piece, it s quite a challenge but it can also lead to a very unwearable and complicated experience. With this in mind, we can easily say that roun
Dec 27, 2025
Why orange is always better- WishDoit Aqua Storm Diver
There are details that need to be done in certain ways. When you think about a diver, a professional one, the black colour is one of the first things that comes to mind but then, you start reviewing your thoughts and orange comes to the scene. And why not? After all, orange is a lively colour, summer ready and perfect for aquatic sports, but there is more than looks, it is actually functional. In the 60’s when diving was everywhere, brands like Doxa and Seiko decided to condu
Dec 18, 2025
Everyday wearability – The Aquareef 40
There are watches that remind of you of something special but they are not necessarily a copying a style, they are their own thing. Colour waves are stuck in our head like a sticker and the main effect provided is that they make you feel you are in front of something very familiar. I was aware of Golby as a watch brand because I’ve seen them in tradeshows but never had the chance to handle one of their watches in person, luckily that’s has change now. Last week, I managed to
Dec 15, 2025
Aiming to the moon – the Kaguya Kaki from Wancher
Over this year I’ve managed to review some watches which are truly showstoppers. Watches that not only make you rethink what a timekeeper should look but also what should make you feel. I established a good relationship with the brand manager from Wancher Watches and we kind of developed an mutual understanding based on the admiration for well craft pieces from all price points. The real challenge of making a good watch is always guided by the end price because at the end, it
Dec 12, 2025
A diver or a statement piece? The Dromo from Alcadus
There isn’t a script or right way to collect watches but, I am a firm believer that there must be a focus in order to have a goal, let me explain. For me the colour of a dial is on of the main characteristics I try to chase, if I have a blue watch then that’s it, that is my one blue watch. Of course the brain will always play tricks on you and I often see myself thinking that is blue dial but a different shape or case material and there we go, but that is another topic. Comin
Dec 6, 2025
Bold and beautiful – The Mezei Collection
There are several design elements which watch brands execute in automatic mode, basically they produce watches following trends without putting too much thought. As an example, majority of the dials we find in today’s watches can be an exercise for branding; there are logos, water ratings and features that are not really needed. In the end, do we really want to know if a watch is automatic in 2025? Perhaps at the beginning of the century when this was necessary, a prestige fe
Dec 3, 2025
A digital display in an analogue time
It is hard to think about another way of displaying time on a wristwatch. The notion of hours and minutes guided by hands has been the norm for centuries and when the digital layout started to appear, well, our brain took a bit to get used to. To display the time digitally on a mechanical watch has not only the merits on technical difficulty but also the courage of going against the norm, here is where the jumping hour mechanism enters the scene. The jumping hour system see
Dec 2, 2025
Gears, oil and watches – The Coachbuilder by DeSanders Horologie
Chronographs have a space on every watch enthusiast heart. When combined with automotive design and porpoise, it becomes not only easier to love but also to understand, because in our head, gears move everything. The issue that I have with automotive watches, or any theme watch in general is that it can become a bit too gimmicky, almost cartoon like. The secret is to be as subtle as possible and not to disturb the overall composition, in other words the details do not need to
Nov 25, 2025
Special with a touch of uniqueness – The Baltany Mil-Spec
The Rolex Submariner is an institution, and inside that institution there are small divisions that can be considered even more important, rarer and special. The standard Submariner is a watch that we all watch enthusiasts dream about for at least one time and with a little bit of effort and focus, it is an achievable target. Now, coming to the Rolex Mil-Sub, this is a watch that not only has to be chased for many years because of its rarity (with approximately 1200 watches ev
Nov 21, 2025
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